International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala: A venue to meet friends

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the fifth edition of the International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK) off to a colourful start, movie buffs are busy catching up with their IDSFFK buddies and making new ones.
The festival is not only a feast of movies but is a platform where like-minded people who are passionate about movies get to meet and broaden their horizons in the realm of films.
What was just a festival for the elite men has now become a launching pad for many amateur filmmakers. “Newcomers are pouring in to festivals like this. Most of them leave the festival determined to become movie makers,” said Ajai Rahul, a filmmaker from Kochi, who has been a regular presence at all the editions of the festival.
“Moreover, this is also a place where you meet new people and exchange ideas to widen your perspectives,” added Rahul.
Anoop Ravindran, another young filmmaker who dropped his IT job to pursue his passion in filmmaking, also shares the same thought. “It is like a reunion. You meet the old friends you made here in the previous editions and its exciting catching up with them again,” said Ravindran. The friendship is also extended to social networking sites like Facebook. They garner a good collection of movies and exchange them when they meet at the festival. “A great deal of sharing happens here. You stumble upon priceless collections at times,” said Rahul.
The festival is also a forum where you make more than just a casual friendship. It is not uncommon for people to develop professional relationships too. Ravindran recalls how he met Shehnad Jalal, a state award winning cinematographer last year. “Shehnad is now working with me as my cameraman,” he added.